Brace attaching means for scaffold frames



Oct. 29, 1957 2...]. JAGIEL BRACE ATTACHING MEANS FOR SCAFFOLD FRAMESFiled Feb. 3, 1954 1N VEN TOR. agma/1d J, c/ay/e/ ATT RNEYS .BRACEATTACHING MEANSEOR SCAFFOLD FRAMES Zigmuudil. Jagiel, Tle'd0,-Ohi0Application February 3, .1954,.S,erial No. 407,919

1 Claim. (Cl.'-3.0 4-'40) This invention relates to ,scafifoldingofthesectional frame type, and particularly to .noveLmeansfor attachingthe cross braces to the uprights of-opposingiframe sections.

The primary objects of the invention is the-provision of simple,efiicient and easily operablemeansjfor attach- .ing cross braces to thecorner upiightsof opposing scaffold frame sections to obtain a rigidbuilt-up scaffold frame structure.

Another object of the invention-isilre provision .of a novel means forreleasably attaching brace bars 1t o-opposing frame uprights ofsectional scaffolding and which also serves to secure together in astrong and eflicient manner the endwise joined uprights of superimposedsections.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description, and from the accompanying drawingsforming a part thereof, and in which-- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of aportion of a sectional scaffold structure with a brace rod attached totwo opposing corner uprights thereof by means embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one end portion of a scaifoldframe upright, with parts broken away, and with a brace holding orclamping means in released position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of two connected frameuprights together with the associated end of a brace bar, all securedtogether by the novel attaching means, with parts broken away, and

Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

The present invention is intended for use particularly in connectionwith scaffold structures of the separable built-up frame section type,wherein the frame sections have end or corner uprights capable of beingmounted endwise one on another, and its purpose is to both secure bracerod ends to said uprights andto lock the connected sections of theuprights together whereby to secure rigidity and firmness in theconnections between the parts and to prevent accidental separationthereof.

Referring to the drawings, (Fig. 1) designates a part of a built-upscaffold structure comprising a plurality of built-up and connectedsections 11. Each of these sections has a pair of spaced end uprights 12connected, in the present instance, by vertically spaced bars 13 whichin turn are preferably rigidly connected by brace pieces 14. The enduprights are preferably of tubular stock and each has a stud 15 fittedinto and projected outwardly from its upper end while its lower end isleft open or provided with a socket into which the stud 15 of theregistering upright of a vertically adjoining frame section may befitted. The stud 15 preferably comprises a short length of tubular stockthat may be loosely fitted into the adjacent ends of two adjoininguprights 12.

In erecting a scaffold structure, the sections 11 may be successivelyplaced in parallel relation one over another to form two opposed tiersor columns, as illustratedin Fig. 1, or thesectionsmay be alternatelyarranged first -as to two opposing sides or tiers and then as-to theother two sides, or they may be built up in'alternatingrelation 'as tothree s'id-es-only,all of whichis wellunderstoodin the art. Theparticular arrangement of'sections is not important so long as the enduprights 12 at'the'corners'of the structure are placedininterconnecting-relation one "over another. inanyevent, the uprights '12of different tiers or-columns are connected at intervalsby-cross bracebars 16.

For'the purpose of the present invention, each brace bar 16, which ispreferably of tubular stock, has each end flattened and shaped to form aU-shaped 'sideloop 18 with its open side facing-transversely -toth'elongi- -tudinal axes of "the bar. Each loop 18 is of a size toextendapproximately'half'Way aroundan upright 12 and at'the outer sideofitsinner end is provided,'in its;angle of connection with a bar 16,with a depression Use that theoutside surface of the'loop arc extendsapproximately from the-longitu dinal axis of the bar, as shown in 'Fig.4,

and forthe-purpose'hereinafter described.

'A bar loop '18-is-held in engagement with an upright '1-2"by a-lockingpin 20. This pin'has a stem 21 slidingly extending through registeringapertures'22 provided diametrically-through' theupright and'the insertedend of the associated stud 15 and from both sides thereof. One

end of the stem is angled to form a transversely projecting L-shapedextension 23 of sutficient length lengthwise of the upright to span thejoint between two abutting upright sections, with the outer terminal endthereof extending inward a short distance toward the upright in parallelrelation to the stem 21 and in position to enter registering apertures24 in the adjoining upright and in the stud 15, as shown. In otherWords, the locking pin 20 is of U-form with one leg long to extendentirely through and beyond the standard and with the other leg short soit can'be engaged with or released from the aperture 24 by lengthwisemovements of the long leg in the apertures 22. A coiled expansion spring26 ismounted on the straight or free end of the stem and bears at oneend against the associated upright 12 and at its other end against ashoulder or member 27 on the stem end, thus normally urging the angledend of the stern into locking engagement with the apertures 24.

The pin loop 23 is intended to have a bar loop 18 projected endwisetherethrough, the body of the loop being preferably substantially flatin cross-section for the purpose, and the length of the short leg of thepin loop 23 is sufiicient to enter the apertures 24 and lock theassociated upright 12 and stud 15 against relative movements when thebar loop is held to the upright by the locking pin, as shown in Figs. 3and 4. It is thus apparent that the locking pin 20 serves both to hold alooped end 18 of a cross brace in engagement with a respective cornerupright of the scaffold structure and also to lock the associated orinterengaged frame uprights 12 against relative turning as well asrelative longitudinal disengaging movements.

When connecting a pair of opposed uprights 12 with a brace bar 16, theassociated locking pins 20 may first be moved against the tension of thesprings 26 to release the inturned ends of the angles 23 from theapertures 24 and the parts 23 are then turned down about the axes of thestems 21 so as not to span the joint between the associated uprightsections 12. The brace ends 18 are then looped about the associatedupright joints, after which the angled pin ends are swung up to registerwith the respective bar loops 18 and permitted to move inward under theaction of the springs 26 so as to closely embrace the bar loops and toenable their free ends to enter the registering apertures 24. Theengaged position of a pin loop 23 with a bar loop 18 is preferably suchthat the pin loop seats in the recess 19 at the inner end of the barloop. This engagement of the locking pin and cross bar end materiallystrengthens and stifiens the scaffold structure against lateral twistingstresses. Another manner of assembly the brace bars with the frameuprights and with the holding means is to thread one loop end 18 of thebar through one pin loop 23 without swinging the latter down and to thenengage the other end of the cross-bar with its upright 12. the same asfirst above-described. In either event, the cross-bar is securely heldat both ends to the respective uprights, preferably at a joint betweentwo interengaged superimposed upright sections, the frame isstrengthened and stifiened and the interengaged ends of such sectionsare held against relative twisting and axial separating movements.

I Wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specificconstruction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable ofnumerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit ofthe claim.

What I claim is:

A brace bar attaching means for sectional scafiold structures having atleast two laterally spaced uprights each having a plurality of endwisealigned sections, said means comprising a flattened end portion of thebrace bar at at least one end thereof with such portion shaped to form aU-loop for engaging sidewise approximately half Way around an uprightWhere two sections thereof contact each other, the inner end of the loopterminating substantially in the axial line of the brace bar, and aholding means for the U-loop end of the brace bar comprising a U-shapedloop member having one leg substantially longer than the other, saidlonger leg being passed through one section of the aforesaid twosections of the upright in substantially planar alignment with the majorpart of the brace bar, parallel thereto and slightly spaced verticallytherefrom, the bight portion of said loop member being parallel to saidupright and overlying said bar where its said U-loop portion joins themajor portion of the brace bar, and the shorter leg of said memberextending into the other section of said two sections, with means tohold said U-shaped member is operative brace bar holding position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,138,838 Bonenberger May 11, 1915 1,273,231 Johansen July 23, 19181,279,299 Du Brau a- Sept. 17, 1918 1,560,978 Crump Nov. 10, 19251,627,177 Henningsen May 3, 1927 2,462,429 Sachs Feb. 22, 1949 2,619,390Johnson Nov. 25, 1952 V FOREIGN PATENTS 536,146 France Apr. 6, 1922609,428 Great Britain Sept. 30, 1948

